Germany and the Taurus missiles, a textbook case of Russian disinformation

In Germany, the “tapping scandal” over the Taurus missiles is turning into a political crisis. Above all, it is the perfect example of the “informational war” led by Russia in Europe.

This scandal is that of four officers of the Luftwaffe, the German air force, who discussed a state secret by unsecured videoconference, with the lightness of a bistro conversation. The military reviews everything the Ukrainians could do, including targeting the Crimean bridge, if they had at their disposal these long-range German missiles, the famous Taurus. While for the moment, Chancellor Olaf Sholz refuses to deliver them, a subject of division within his coalition.

The recording of this confidential exchange, probably recorded by the Russian services and published on the 1st march on social networks by the pro-Kremlin media RT (formerly Russia Today), has since been commented on ad nauseam in Moscow. Kremlin spokesperson sees new proof of involvement “direct” of the West in the conflict in Ukraine.

For Westerners, on the contrary, it is a destabilizing operation. The German Defense Minister is very clear on the subject. Vladimir Putin wants, according to him, “undermine our unity, sow political division“. For THE Spiegel, this conversation between soldiers was purposely leaked, to “keep the pressure on Scholz and his government” and nip delivery in the bud of Taurus missiles to Ukrainian troops.

On the same line, the White House denounces “a transparent attempt by the Russians to sow discord“among Westerners, particularly between Berlin, Paris and London, who supplied long-range missiles to Ukraine.

Germany, priority target of Russian disinformation

Europe’s largest economy is particularly vulnerable to espionage. For several years, it has been one of the priority targets of the Russian disinformation enterprise in Europe. Yevgeniy Golovchenko, from the University of Copenhagen, explains to our colleagues from France 24 that Germany is considered a weak link, as the country most permeable to Moscow’s propaganda.

Several factors explain this: its community of Russian speakers (3.5 million people), a solid pacifist tradition and the legacy of Ostpolitik, the policy of opening towards the east in the early 1970s.

It is all the more interesting for Moscow to weaken Berlin since – on paper at least – its economic and military power can make the difference for kyiv.

All-out disinformation

This war of Russian disinformation also affects other countries, and other subjects than the war in Ukraine or the elections. We know that the European vote in June, like the presidential election in the United States, are contexts conducive to manipulation. But all areas of public debate are concerned. Protest movements, like the slightest current event, become a possibility of exploiting opinions.

We saw it in France, with the episode of the Stars of David tagged on walls in Paris in the middle of the war in Gaza. Or even that of bedbugs in the fall, which has almost become a state affair. The Minister Delegate for Europe Jean-Noël Barrot said this on Friday, the subject was “artificially amplified” on social networks by “pro-Kremlin accounts”. A network of nearly 200 sites serving Russia was recently uncovered, but a few months before the Olympic Games, other information attacks are to be expected.